PHETCHABUN: Fishery officials in this northern province have impounded crocodiles in a farm in Muang district. The owner will face legal action for operating the farm without a licence.
The action was taken after a team of officials examined "Kiat Farm", a crocodile farm at Ban Rai Nua in tambon Sadiang, on Sunday.
The officials, including Sucheela Ubonsa-ard, an official of the Fisheries Office of Phetchabun, and Prathin Naksamran, chief of the Sadiang tambon administration organisation (TAO), went to the farm for inspection after villagers reported seeing a crocodile on a road near Ban Rai Nua.
It was believed the crocodile had escaped from Kiat Farm.
Kiat Tangpaithoon, the farm owner, led the officials on an inspection of the farm, which comprises two ponds holding around 100 crocodiles. The farm has been in operation for about 30 years.
Mr Kiat said the escaped crocodile might have slipped through a ventilation hole in a concrete wall after the farm was flooded. The crocodile was about seven or eight years old, he said.
Mr Kiat also admitted that he had failed to extend the farm's operating licence with the provincial fisheries office, prompting Mrs Sucheela to order the crocodiles in the farms impounded and file a complaint against the farm owner for operating the business without a licence.